The Eagles' fourth WR
Who will win the job as the Eagles' fourth receiver? And does it matter? Plus some other notes from last week's OTAs.
I recently received an e-mail from reader Adam about how Hank Baskett has looked during OTAs.
So I thought today would be a good time to delve into the fourth receiver issue.
And the truth is, I'm not sure it's really going to matter in the way it's currently being looked at.
What I mean is I don't think the Eagles plan on going to many four wide-receiver formations in 2010. When I charted the formations and personnel during the Week 17 game against the Cowboys and during the first-round playoff game, I found that the offense had four receivers on the field for a total of just six snaps.
Does that mean guys like Baskett and Riley Cooper are unimportant? Of course not. If DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin or Jason Avant go down, someone will have to step in.
But when you look at the current personnel, the Eagles have a lot of options with their pass-catchers. We saw LeSean McCoy line up out wide at times last season. That should continue. And I admit I'm intrigued at how the Eagles will use guys like Cornelius Ingram and Clay Harbor. We'll have to see how they do at Lehigh with the pads on, but I know they're not going to be used much to replace Brent Celek. Which means if they're going to be on the field, they could be used in non-traditional ways, perhaps lining up as receivers.
Other notes:
* Two guys I'm having trouble figuring out roles for are Ricky Sapp and Alex Hall. Need to see more to figure out how they might fit in.
* I think I'd be surprised if Moise Fokou is not the starting strong-side linebacker in Week 1 against the Packers.
* My early impression is that, of the new Eagles, Mike Bell is the most fun interview. At one point last week, when he said he's feeling great and back at his college weight, Bell actually took a second to flex his biceps and demonstrate.
* One non-Eagles note: Zach Gilford, who plays Matt Saracen on Friday Night Lights, delivered one of the most memorable TV acting performances in ages during this week's episode. It took awhile to get this season going, but I'm now convinced the show is as good as ever. If you don't watch, NetFlix Season 1. Now. You will love it.
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